Theory of Mind Development in Children with Visual Impairment: The Contribution of the Adapted Comprehensive Test ToM Storybooks

The role of habilitation services in the lives of children and adolescents with visual impairments

Previous research suggests that children and adolescents with visual impairment may face several challenges in their academic learning and socio-emotional development due to restricted mobility, feelings of loneliness, and dependency on others. Habilitation services attempt to provide support with respect to many of these challenges that may positively impact on well-being and mental health, such as enabling independence in daily tasks, participation in social activities, and developing self-confidence. The literature also shows that individuals who have received educational and vocational rehabilitation support report higher quality of life and more positive self-esteem. Therefore, the primary focus of this study was on the rehabilitation, recreational opportunities, and educational resources provided by vision habilitation services for children and adolescents with visual impairments. The role that these services may play in school and daily life, as well as in the socio-emotional development of children and adolescents with visual impairments was also examined. This research covers the perspectives of professional staff, parents, children, and adolescents and considers both the immediate and potential long-term benefits of these services. The findings of the study highlighted the positive impact that this support has on children and adolescents’ independence, personal-safety, and self-confidence. The findings also indicated the positive impact of this support on the mental health of their families and benefits of providing continued support and expanding these habilitation and recreation services.

Theory of Mind Development in Italian Children with Specific Language Impairment and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Delay, Deficit, or Neither?

Some studies report delayed theory of mind (ToM) development in children with specific language impairment (SLI), while others do not. A ToM delay is acknowledged in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), while whether these children also display a deficit is still under debate. In the current study, we drew on a developmental trajectory approach to assess whether children with SLI or ASD displayed delays or deficits in their ToM performance. Forty-three children with SLI (age 4-10 years), 44 children with ASD (age 5-12 years), and 227 typically developing children (age 3-11 years) completed the ToM Storybooks. Children with SLI were not found to display either a delay or a deficit in ToM, while children with ASD were found to display a deficit.

Autistic-Like Features in Visually Impaired Children: A Review of Literature and Directions for Future Research

There remains great interest in understanding the relationship between visual impairment (VI) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) due to the extraordinarily high prevalence of ASD in blind and visually impaired children. The broad variability across individuals and assessment methodologies have made it difficult to understand whether autistic-like symptoms shown by some children with VI might reflect the influence of the visual deficit, or represent a primary neurodevelopmental condition that occurs independently of the VI itself. In the absence of a valid methodology adapted for the visually impaired population, diagnosis of ASD in children with VI is often based on non-objective clinical impression, with inconclusive prevalence data. In this review, we discuss the current state of knowledge and suggest directions for future research.

[Autism spectrum symptoms in children with congenital blindness]

Autism spectrum symptoms in children with congenital blindness Abstract. Objective: Previous studies reported increased rates of autistic symptoms in children with impaired visual abilities (IV). However, the application of existing screening questionnaires for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) proved problematic, as intact visual abilities are typically required. The current study examines the general applicability of three autism-screening questionnaires in children with congenital blindness. Methods: Autistic symptoms were assessed in 15 children with congenital blindness, 15 children with ASD (without IV), and 20 typically developing controls (aged from 8 to 14 years), using the Social Communication Questionnaire, the Marburg Rating Scale for Asperger's Syndrome, and the Social Responsiveness Scale. Results: Items assessing motor, mimic/gesture-related, or joint attention deficits were identified as highly prevalent in children with congenital blindness. These children scored, in general, higher on ASD-screening questionnaires than typically developing controls but lower than sighted children with ASD. Depending on the screening questionnaire used, between 23 % and 67 % of the sample with congenital blindness reached clinical cutoff scores for ASD. SRS total score was negatively correlated to cognitive empathy and verbal IQ in those children. Conclusions: Mothers of children with congenital blindness reported increased autistic symptoms in ASD-screening questionnaires. ASD and IV might share a broad range of symptoms. Future development and validation of screening instruments specifically adapted to the needs of persons with impaired visual abilities seem necessary.